Martha Wilkinson

Q: When did Martha Wilkinson die?

Martha Wilkinson died on May 7, 2014.

Q: How old was Martha Wilkinson when they died?

Martha Wilkinson was 72 years old at the time of death.

Q: What was Martha Wilkinson's cause of death?

The cause of death of Martha Wilkinson was natural causes.

Q: When was Martha Wilkinson born?

Martha Wilkinson was born on August 24, 1941.

Q: What was Martha Wilkinson's occupation?

Martha Wilkinson was a politician.

Martha Carol Wilkinson (née Stafford; August 28, 1941 – May 7, 2014) was an American businesswoman and politician. She served as the first lady of Kentucky from 1987 to 1991. Born in Casey County, Kentucky, she was the wife of former Kentucky Governor Wallace G. Wilkinson.

In 1960, she married Wallace G. Wilkinson and together they started the Kentucky Paperback Gallery in 1963 which later became Wallace's College Book Company. The couple had two sons, Wallace Glenn Wilkinson Jr. and Andrew Wilkinson. Martha Wilkinson was business manager of the Wilkinson Farms.^{[citation needed]}

The gown Wilkinson wore at her husband's inauguration was a gift from her sister, Katherine Rubarts. She wore it with a gold, ruby and diamond necklace given to her by Governor Wilkinson.^{[citation needed]}

Martha Wilkinson created "Martha's Army" to fight adult illiteracy. Wilkinson's group used techniques such as a telephone hotline, (800)-GED-ARMY, and financial incentives to encourage Kentucky high school dropouts to earn a General Educational Development (GED) certificate.^{[citation needed]} In 1990, country-music singer Waylon Jennings, who dropped out of school in the 10th grade, earned a GED through Martha's Army.

In 1991, when her husband was term limited from seeking a second consecutive term, Wilkinson announced her candidacy for governor. She withdrew from the race before the Democratic primary when polls showed her trailing Lt. Gov. Brereton Jones. She died on May 7, 2014, in Sarasota, Florida.